Farmers needed for climate change impact on Michigan field crops farms
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EmailA statewide MSU research project is now accepting enrollment.
A newly funded Agricultural Climate Resiliency project entitled, “Ensuring the success of Michigan farms in the face climate change,” funded through a partnership that includes Michigan State University, Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is looking to partner with select row-crop farmers across Michigan.
Our project seeks to understand how climate change and extreme weather events impact crop yields, soil health and the economic well-being of farmers across Michigan, while facilitating opportunities for Michigan farms to contribute to climate change solutions.
Options for levels of farmer participation
- Any farmer interested in participating in a soil health assessment. Two fields of your choice will be sampled by a team of researchers in fall 2024. (~ 80 participant limit).
- Conventional farmers who are interested in establishing regenerative practices such as cover cropping or buffer strips, but would like guidance through the process over the three-year study period (~five participant limit)
- This does not require shifting whole style of farming, just implementing new methods on select field(s)
- Participants will receive consultation from farm collaborators and researchers to apply practices in a way that makes the most sense for their farm and business
- Farmers currently using regenerative practices who would like to partner with researchers on this project for three years (~20 participant limit)
Farmer partners who select option B or C
- Contribute to the experimental design of the study by helping to select study fields
- Engage in annual project meetings
- Allow researchers to soil and greenhouse gas sample on two fields annually
- Soil sampling three times/year, greenhouse gas sampling ~five-six times/year
- Farmers will receive a comprehensive soil test each year for three years
- Communicate with MSU Extension educators about field operations to optimize sampling times
- Share yield history data and cost of production information
- All data will be confidential and anonymized
- Complete management surveys and participate in a one-hour interview annually for a three-year period.
- Estimated time obligation per year is ~five hours
Farmer compensation
Farmer participants in groups A, B & C will receive a free comprehensive soil health test report. Farmer participants in groups B & C will receive annual $200 honorarium for each field enrolled in the study and a carbon intensity report for their two selected fields. Farmers in groups B & C will have the opportunity to network with other farmers, members from various commodity groups in Michigan, and researchers.
What indicators will the soil health test report include
A routine nutrient test report, pH, texture, soil respiration (similar to the Solvita test), permanganate oxidizable carbon (active carbon), autoclaved-citrate extractable protein (organically bound pool of nitrogen) and enzymatic activity (indicative of microbial activity and nutrient cycling).
How to sign up: Complete an enrollment survey
Enrollment Deadline: September 15, 2024
For more information, please reach out to MSU Extension field crop educator, Monica Jean, at atkinmon@msu.edu or call 616-443-8782.
